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Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Of bikes and trailers!

A determined walk along the Bendigo Creek takes Ms Tagalong
behind houses, over bridges, past the tennis courts and Lake Weerona, over the
oldest remaining bridge and into Peppergreen Farm by the back way climbing over
the fence.

A group of industrious men are busy painting bundles of
stakes. Not for an upcoming Vampire’s convention but for local surveyors.

This community garden is mostly run by Access Industries
providing work for disabled clients in the area. They mow, they whipper snip
and paint stakes.

Ros Woodburn who has been co-ordinator for 2 ½ years proudly
points out her transport. A bicycle with a trailer.

Keen as mustard, not the mustard lettuce growing so
prolifically in Tighes Hill garden, but mustard nevertheless, she explains what
she uses the trailer for.

Under a large canopied area trays of lettuces and salad greens
grow. They are harvested daily and bags taken to four local restaurants who in
turn provide bags of coffee grounds to be used in the compost.

Ros’s eyes glisten as she imagines fleets of these bikes
traversing Bendigo taking some of the excess produce people drop off at the
garden, completing the urban food cycle as it were.

Ms Tagalong tries to glimpse the ghosts that
must inhabit this garden, the location of the Bendigo Chinese Market Garden but
all she can see are the happily waving employees hard at work under the
canopied area and a vision on a bicycle, produce in tow.It's great to have some feedback, so please leave me some comments.